On 27 January 2016, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia completed his stay in Chambesy, Switzerland, and answered questions from journalists.

According to His Holiness, the main result of the Synaxis of the Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches is the decision to publish in the nearest future all documents which were agreed upon during the meeting to be discussed at the Council.

“Our Church insisted on no embargo on these documents because all people should be familiar with them since many critical views on the upcoming Council were formed due to the information vacuum,’ His Holiness underscored. The main thing is that all people will know which issues will be resolved at the Council and in what manner, and which documents will constitute the background of the Council’s resolutions.”

His Holiness added that the texts due to be published include documents on the mission of Orthodoxy in the modern world, on marriage, family and impediments to marriage.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church noted that the participants of the Synaxis in Chambesy had unanimously supported the Moscow Patriarchate’s position on the situation in Ukraine.

“Neither Ukraine will not be considered at the Council, no the possibility of granting autocephaly or legalization of the schism will be discussed at the Council. Patriarch Bartholomew publicly confirmed it. He said unequivocally that no efforts for legalizing the schism or for granting autocephaly to anyone unilaterally will be taken during the Council or after it. All those who have provoked this unrest in Ukraine should understand it. The Orthodox world will not support this unrest, this schism. There is only one way to overcome the schism. It lies through negotiations and the achievement of results on the basis of the holy canons. Those who wish to be in communion with world Orthodoxy should reunite with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the basis of the existing canons. There is no other way and no other message to Ukraine from the Patriarchs.”

His Holiness specified that the Pan-Orthodox Council will be take place on the island of Crete which was the venue of many international theological conferences.

“This summit of the Orthodox Primates took place not without difficulties, but such a dialogue is never easy. Yet we know that by the grace of God we always reach unanimous decisions. This has happened here, too. I expect that the Council will bring about even more consolidation of the Orthodox world, because we must cooperate even more closely in the resolution of problems which we are facing in the world, including the persecution against Christian communities. I do hope that by God’s grace the consolidation of the Orthodox world will succeed,” His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said in conclusion.

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